Ok so I quit, shut the doors, closed shop about a month ago. I was so tired of running 20 hours a day 7 days a week and having nothing to show for it. The business was self sustaining but I could not yet pay myself for the work I did so every penny I made went right into the bank, I never reaped the fruits of my labor. One day I just said that's it. I quit rather abruptly with no real notice to my clients. I kept one client as its a monthly job and a friend. Now for the past month I have sat at home. I must be honest it was nice, you may remember I do have a well paying day job so I dont need the money really but now I am ripping my hair out. I hate sitting at home and doing nothing. I did a lot of work out on our urban farm as well as our ranch but its not enough. Today I said that's it I am going back out to mow lawns. Here is my problem though. I now have the one job and the next time I do it will be the last time for the year. I have some questions.
1- How bad did I screw myself
2- How will this effect my business in the future
3- Will there be a bad taste in my business forever now as being unreliable?

Thanks for the help. Depending on how screwed I am I may not go back into it if the fight will be harder trying to reclaim my name.

Ok so I quit, shut the doors, closed shop about a month ago. I was so tired of running 20 hours a day 7 days a week and having nothing to show for it. The business was self sustaining but I could not yet pay myself for the work I did so every penny I made went right into the bank, I never reaped the fruits of my labor. One day I just said that's it. I quit rather abruptly with no real notice to my clients. I kept one client as its a monthly job and a friend. Now for the past month I have sat at home. I must be honest it was nice, you may remember I do have a well paying day job so I dont need the money really but now I am ripping my hair out. I hate sitting at home and doing nothing. I did a lot of work out on our urban farm as well as our ranch but its not enough. Today I said that's it I am going back out to mow lawns. Here is my problem though. I now have the one job and the next time I do it will be the last time for the year. I have some questions.
1- How bad did I screw myself
2- How will this effect my business in the future
3- Will there be a bad taste in my business forever now as being unreliable?

Thanks for the help. Depending on how screwed I am I may not go back into it if the fight will be harder trying to reclaim my name.

P.S. I have kept my license and accounts in good standing so if possible I can go back into it without the red tape like in the beginning with applying for licenses and what not.

How abruptly is rather abruptly? Did you at least let them know that you were not cutting lawns anymore or did you just stop? I have picked up several clients that were upset because the person who was doing their lawn just never showed up again. They tried to call them but no response. Then a month latter they show up and want to do the lawn. So if you just left the clients with nothing and no explanation it will be almost impossible to get them back. If you at least communicated with them some before leaving then it will be hard but you got a better chance.

I'm just wondering if you didn't like the work before what will be different this time? You still are going to have to work hard, now probably twice as hard, to get it going again. Good luck hope you find what you want.

I was charging 40-50 per lawn but didn't have many. I am not worried about getting clients back. I speak to them and know they already have new people they are pleased with. My worry is I am sure it left some less than pleased to just say I am done and word of mouth being what it is will this destroy my chances locally in the future.

Why no not turn the customers over to another reliable service.
40-50 a pc seems like a decent price unless they were all 5 acres.

DO you have a job?
If not any $$ made would seem like a bonus.

Bottom line is, if you dont like the work dont do it.
Many people drag themselves in to jobs they despise. Im sure its even worse surrounding yourself in a business you hate.

I do have a job "other than lawn care" I enjoyed the work I was however getting tired of late payers. Everyone paid eventually but first its a week late then its a month late. Maybe I should give it one more shot. Only this time really crack down on late payers.

Acceptance "I did bad, though I can always start over & make things right because I know what mistakes to avoid"

???????????????????????

I never hit the bargaining part. I never once lowered my prices. If anything I bumped them up. As far as trying again and avoiding mistakes. Thats the question at hand. It seems to me walking away shows unreliability. Reliability was one of my strong points but by quitting I have become unreliable. As I said I am not even considering getting clients back, at least not now but if one tells a friend who tells a friend who tells there brother who tells his kid how I just quit that can spell disaster for a business in an already challenging market. My question is would it even be worth putting any effort into it or have a burned my bridges. I did not just stop showing up but I did pretty much say "this is the last time I am doing your lawn, good luck"

The thing I am wondering is first off, what would you like to do with your business? What would be the goal? Also what would you do differently this time around so as not to get burned out with it all?